A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Marble$790/mo

Typical home $134K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $658/mo · Housing →

Taconite$1,320/mo

Typical home $220K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $2,625/mo · Housing →

The difference: $530 a month, about $6,300 a year, between Taconite and Marble.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Marble and Taconite share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarbleTaconite

Marble ↔ Taconite4.5 miles apart · They share a border

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

MarbleTaconite

Snow a year60″60″

January low-2°F -2°F

July high80°F 80°F

Growing season (days)130d 130d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd 33rd

Outdoors & history

MarbleTaconite

Trails6 mi 32 mi

Conserved land19.4%4.2%

Settled—1907

Community

MarbleTaconite

Library hours a week22 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Minnesota average

MarbleTaconite

People

Population 669Highest 468Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -13% MN: +7.6% —

Median age 30.8±12.6Lowest 21% below MN 54.8±5.9Highest 41% above MN

Kids under 18 13.2%±5.2 MN: 22.9% 13.2%±5.1 MN: 22.9%

Age 65+ 10%±4.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 25.2%±5.6Highest MN: 17.3%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 6.1%Lowest MN: 39.4% 17.1%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±4.3Highest MN: 5.8% 2.6%±2.7Lowest MN: 5.8%

Marble and Taconite are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $53,958±$14kLowest 39% below MN $84,375±$40kHighest 5% below MN

Taconite and Marble are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $102,500±$22kLowest 69% below MN $219,600±$29kHighest 33% below MN

Rentmedian gross, monthly $658±$589Lowest 49% below MN $2,625±$2kHighest 105% above MN

Taconite and Marble are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $811Lowest 76% below MN $2,032Highest 39% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.1%±32.7Lowest MN: 48.1% 95.8%±41.7Highest MN: 48.1%

Taconite and Marble are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 17%Highest MN: 9.3% 3.6%Lowest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 78%Lowest MN: 72.2% 89.4%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than MN 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 4% below MN 26 minHighest 15% above MN

Work from home 5.5%±4Highest MN: 17.6% 4.8%±4.1Lowest MN: 17.6%

Marble and Taconite are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 2.2%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Highest 0.04Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (30%)Grand Rapids (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TaconiteFew work in Marble

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 19.4%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miLowest 32.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 1.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.2Highest 1.5Lowest

Minnesota average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Marble neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marble’s Town Square.

Taconite neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Taconite’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marble and Taconite

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Marble

+ Compare

Calumet279 people · $111K homes

+ Compare

Greenway Township2,039 people · $138K homes

Towns like Marble

+ Compare

Eagle Bend597 people · $99K homes

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Stewart644 people · $125K homes

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Clarkfield913 people · $96K homes

+ Compare

Eden Valley1,002 people · $161K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Marble vs Taconite

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $530 more a month in Taconite

Marble and Taconite share a border

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Marble and Taconite

Bordering Marble

Towns like Marble

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